Anna Malfame and the Lure of the Veil
by akiqueen
Summary: Anna is baited into the Ministry of Magic, where she is pushed into the veil. In order to get back out she must pass tasks set by Death himself. Through a twist of fate, though, she meets a certain Sirius Black... Read of her third year at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

**Previously on ****The Kiss of Death****: The dementors attack Hogwarts, and perform the Kiss to a fellow student. Anna demands to learn the patronus, but is pushed away. She gets a letter from the Ministry about Remus Lupin, telling her that he has been accused of attacking Muggles in his werewolf form, and that she is to go to the Ministry the day after Remus's trial…**

**Summary: Anna is baited into the Ministry of Magic; the Department of Mysteries. Thrown through the veil, she must pass trials given to her by death himself in order to get back out. Through a twist of fate, though, she manages to find a certain Sirius Black…**

Anna Malfame and the Lure of the Veil

Chapter One

My father, Harry Potter, double-checked the time and took my arm. "We're going to do some Side-Along Apparition in order to get to Kingsley's office," he told me for the millionth time, as if reassuring himself rather than me. "We'll get this straightened out one way or another."

"Don't stay long. You don't know what they can pull out," my other father, Draco Malfoy, said. He kissed the both of us, worry painting his eyes. Harry nodded and turned on the spot. The air compressed around us and I found myself choking on the lack of air. It was over in seconds as we appeared in a huge office.

"Normally, you shouldn't apparate into others homes or personal places like this. But Shaklebolt gave us his permission, so we're fine."

"Right you are," a tall, black man said from his seat at the corner of the room. He got up and shook my dad's hand, and then he shook mine. "Let's get down to business, then, shall we?"

"Now, I personally know the whole cover that Remus Lupin provided you. In fact, I still have your registration papers from twelve years ago. Was I surprised to find that you had a daughter, Harry! On that note…Anna, your own hearing with Ames Laxery and me will begin in an hour," Kingsley Shacklebolt told us.

"Since Anna was originally in your custody, there's nothing to worry about that. The Ministry officials who are affiliated with this were sworn to secrecy. The only way this will get out is if you tell the world yourself," Shacklebolt said while looking at my father. "Now, unless there's something else that needs to be discussed, we need to get down to Laxery's office to discuss Lupin's will." My hands froze and I felt my mouth drop a little.

"What?" I asked, my voice croaking.

"Unfortunately, he was found guilty," the Minister told me.

"But he would _never_ harm anyone! Severus always gives him his wolfsbane potion! _I _was never hurt!" I protested, trying not to think of Remus's body splayed out and bloody.

"The vote was against him," Shacklebolt told me quietly. He gestured to the door. Harry gave me a little push and I followed the Minister out.

Ames Laxery shifted uncomfortably when I walked through the door to his office. Though I couldn't see it myself, I knew my skin was pale and my eyes were probably still wide in shock. My hands were trembling as I sat down across Laxery and Shacklebolt. "Let's get down to business, then, shall we? First the more important question about your guardian," Laxery began. Shacklebolt coughed quite rudely until Laxery got the idea to shut up.

"I already handled that matter myself, Ames," Shacklebolt said.

"Ah. Then would you mind if I inquire about who it is?"

"Not at all. She's living with one of the fellow Aurors," Shacklebolt told him. Laxery seemed disappointed and impressed at the same time. "Let's get on with the contents of the will, then, shall we?" He took out the scrawled on piece of parchment. I recognized Remus's writing immediately. He then took out a large pack of what seemed to be Remus's belongings. Laxery took out a pair of reading glasses and took the will in his hands.

"As you know, upon death, the Ministry is allowed to go through the contents of wills that concern dangerous or Dark objects," Laxery told me. I stared at him indignantly, hardly being able to believe that he was accusing Remus of giving me dangerous things. "You have received full contents of his will." _Much to the disappointment of everyone in the division_ his facial features seemed to add. It probably would've worked greatly against the rights of werewolves. "And therefore, you have the right to do whatever you want with it," he told me, pushing the suitcase to me. I opened it carefully, taking out various clothes and objects.

There were really only three objects of interest. One of them was a journal, full of notes and pictures of Remus when he was younger. The journal was written in some sort of undecipherable language, which probably threw off the inspectors until they decided that it was just a diary. Two of the pictures, especially, stood out for me. In one, he was standing; arms draped over three other people. I noted with some interest that one of the students looked suspiciously a lot like Harry. The other picture, much to my amusement, was of Remus and another long-haired Gryffindor boy snogging. Laxery's face was the faintest shade of green as I shut the journal. There was also a blank piece of parchment. It was old and worn, and by some magic or another, it hadn't torn from what looked like regular usage. And finally, there was an old cloak thrown in. It surprised me that Remus had kept an Invisibility Cloak. I looked up at the Minister, who winked back. He had obviously pulled some strings to let me keep it. Grateful, I locked up the suitcase, and looked up. "Now, on account of the body. Mr. Lupin had asked to be buried in Godric's Hollow. He specified that you would handle the rest. His body has already been cremated, and the funeral scheduled for tomorrow," Laxery told me. My lips tightened as I read his face again; _who'd want to keep that filth in here anyway?_

I watched the proceedings, a mixture of sadness and anger bubbling in me. I was angry at the Ministry for killing Remus for what I was sure was false pretenses. Seeing as the entire Ministry was anti-werewolf, I was positive of the fact that they had unanimously decided to get rid of him. I looked as the grave was filled with dirt. The only other people who were there with me were my parents, and they were polyjuiced into looking like someone else. My bracelet caught the sunlight, the daffodil mocking me as I left its sisters and brothers on Remus's, and on a whim, Sirius Black's grave.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I quietly sat down next to Lana on the Hogwarts Express, deciding to stare at the wall across from me. Lana stayed respectfully quiet as I continued to fry a speck of dirt with my glare. The doors of the compartment slid open and a woman with dark hair tied in a bun walked in. "Anna Malfame, what a pleasure to meet you! I _knew_ that I just had to get onto the train to talk to you! McGonagall never would've let me get into Hogwarts! Now onto the matter of last year," she said, sitting down and taking out a notebook and an acid-green quill, "Can you tell me what happened with the Dementors?" I turned to stare at her. I didn't answer as I let my eyes pierce her.

"So you're done interrogating Jessica Weasley, are you?" I asked in my coldest, most spiteful tone. I inwardly grinned as she flinched back. She regained her composure and smiled. I wanted to punch her face.

"The poor dear," she started, "Was so devastated by her sister that she couldn't utter a word."

"Ms. Skeeter," I said, "I don't know if you know this, but I personally know Hermione Weasley." Rita Skeeter's face blanched. "She's told me many stories of her time at Hogwarts. I think there was one with you, in fact, where—"

"I need to get going, my dear. I have a very important meeting at Hogsmead. Maybe I'll talk to you later!" she shouted hurriedly, running out of our compartment.

"That was brilliant," Lana told me.

I stumbled to find my seat in the Great Hall. "My contacts will be delivered any second now," I told Lana in explanation. She gaped at me.

"Then how could you unnerve Skeeter like that?!"

"I'm not that blind," I said, piling food onto my plate.

"You know you have pudding and chicken jamboree on your plate?" she asked me with amusement in her voice.

"I happen to like it, thank you very much," I said as Dirigible, the lone owl of the day, dropped a pack of Muggle contacts by my mashed potatoes.

"Too poor to get your eyes magically corrected now that the werewolf is dead?" a certain Ravenclaw asked behind me.

"Ah, that's not the reason at all," I said, making a point to insert my contacts while Lucas Chang was watching. His face was twisted in a mix of revulsion and amazement. The other Slytherins, noticing his face, suddenly got interested in my Muggle contacts, and I immediately became the main topic of everyone for the next couple of days. Lana grinned at me.

"Maybe the Sorting hat knew what it was doing all along," she said.

The next weekend would be a Hogsmeade weekend. I had no Quidditch practice, I had finished all of my homework after classes on Friday, and I was really looking forward to it. At first I didn't know how I could spend my entire day there, but then I figured it out. I could try and decipher the mysteries of Remus's journal and parchment. I sat down in the Three Broomsticks and opened up the journal. After flipping through it, I found a page near the back that was suspiciously devoid of words. Before I could try any spells on it, the door banged open and a couple of redheads walked in. I recognized them as the owners of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They looked around, probably seeing that the pub was full, and sat next to me. "Hello there, do you mind?" one of them asked me. I looked between the two and sighed.

"Go ahead, I don't mind. Just don't do anything funny," I told them. They snickered (was it when they noticed my Slytherin badge?) and ordered themselves butterbeer. I then went back to my journal. Frustrated at my inability to discover how Remus had coded it, I went onto the parchment. I heard a sharp intake of air from one of the twins, and looked up.

"Where did you get that?" one of them asked. I hesitated, and then thought that it wouldn't hurt to tell.

"Remus Lupin left it to me," I told them. Their eyes seemed to twinkle as they took out their wands and directed them to the parchment.

"Your Harry's kid, aren't you?" one of them asked me in a whisper, "Ron told us all about it. I didn't believe him when he said that dear Harry got together with Draco, though. It would've broken our sister's heart."

"You guys have a sister? Laura never talked about having an aunt from her father's side," I said, relaxed in the presence of the twins. We had met before, back when I was younger, at one of Laura's birthday parties. I couldn't tell which one was Fred and which one was George, though.

"Yes, we do. Our dear sister Ginevra died in the battle against Voldemort," they said in unison, their eyes tearing up.

"I'm sorry," I said, remembering Remus and the brutal way he was killed.

"Anyway," one of the twins started.

"You have a very special piece of parchment here," the other finished.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," they said.

I watched in amazement as ink began to appear on the parchment, spelling out words _Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, purveyors of aids to magical michief-makers, are proud to present the Marauder's Map_. I delicately opened it up, only to see the grounds of Hogwarts. Looking at the dots, I saw that Laura's brother, Zackery, was currently in his Transfiguration class. "I don't know why Harry gave this back to Lupin," one of them interrupted.

"Maybe it was to let him have a link to the past," the other suspected, "Lupin _was_ Moony after all."

"Who are the others?" I asked them.

"Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew," one of them started.

"The man who was with Voldemort?" I asked, "And who served his life debt to my father by sacrificing himself?" The two nodded.

"Padfoot was Sirius Black. And Prongs was your grandfather, James Potter," he finished.

"Mischief managed," they said, clearing the parchment once again.

"Could you guys help me with something else?" I asked. The two seemed pleased that I would want more of their help. "This is Remus's journal, but I don't know how to decipher it. Do you have any clues as to what the answer could be?" They looked over the journal, saw the page I noticed before, and nodded their heads.

"This looks like a password page, much like the Marauder's Map. We'd say that there was one continuous password that Lupin used to make the map legible. Figure that out and you can read it," one of them stated.

"We'd guess that it's a one letter word, probably something to do with Lupin or something he likes. He didn't want to make it hard for those who he personally knew to read his journal, so I'm sure you can get it," the other added.

"Otherwise, we have no clue," the first one ended. Looking back from one to the other twin was driving me insane.

"Uh, can I ask you something else?" I asked them. They smiled and nodded. "How can I tell you apart?" They laughed, spurting butterbeer all over the table.

"I'm George, the handsome one. Fred's not as good looking," the one on my right said. I laughed along as they mock-bickered with each other. I was looking forward to more visits to Hogsmeade.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Willow," I said, tapping Remus's journal, "Tree, log, wood, big, heavy, elephant, trunk, levitate, wand, stick, wood—no wait, I said that already."

"Miss—" Professor Snape started.

"Miss!" I said, tapping the journal.

"Malfame—"

"Malfame?!" I tried.

"Could—"

"Could!"

"You—"

"You!"

"STOP THAT!!!" my godfather yelled.

"That's two words," I pointed out.

"I think that you should get back to your potion," he said coldly.

"It's done," I said, pulling out my Muggle thesaurus for help. "Clean, mop, scour, scrub—"

"Detention, Malfame!" Professor Snape yelled frantically. He was pulling at his hair, which was now green. That should teach him for forcing me to wear certain pink, frilly skirts. The class was choking on their suppressed laughter, trying not to lose any points for their Houses. We still managed to lose seventeen points by the end of Potions.

"I still can't believe that Severus gave me detention," I said to Lana, who was accompanying me down to the dungeons for said detention.

"Don't fret. I'll see you later," she told me, pushing me inside.

"Welcome to detention," my godfather said, his cloak billowing dramatically. "You are going to help me clear one of our rooms of a boggart. I'm sure you know what that is?" he inquired.

"Of course, Severus," I answered. I followed him up into one of the deserted rooms. Inside, a trunk was shaking terribly. I unlocked the trunk and the boggart popped out. I knew it would take the shape of whatever I feared the most. For a second, I thought of Lucius. But then I remembered what happened last year… I watched in horror as the boggart twisted into the shape of a dementor, ghastly cold and smelling of death. I stood frozen in my spot, shocked. I bitterly thought of my father shaking down my request that he teach me how to produce a patronus before the dementor took out one of its hands. Severus quickly stepped in. I watched as the boggart transformed into two people. One of them was a woman with red hair and the man beside her was oddly familiar. From their attire and attitude, I could immediately tell that the two were married. I watched as the man's face turned to me. And my heart stopped. No one but my father Draco was supposed to marry Harry James Potter!

Some sane part of me was saying that although Severus feared this, it wasn't necessarily true. "_Riddikulus_!" he yelled. I watched as the couple exploded in a burst of fireworks. The boggart leapt back into the trunk before we had any time to laugh. Not that I found exploding wizards funny… "Like father, like daughter," he told me. I looked at him, wondering what he meant by it. "I'm going to tutor you in the patronus, Anna. Seeing as you have a charm for bad luck, this is for your own good." He said this sincerely, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"Severus… do you mind if I ask what it was that you saw?" I asked. His smile faltered as he turned to open the door.

"What I fear most are my memories. I should've put that memory into my Pensieve," was all he told me. But it was enough.

"Lana!" I cried, running into our dorm.

"What's wrong?" she asked me, setting down the book.

"My-dad-married-a-speckled-red-haired-_git_!" I yelled at her.

"So you're saying that Draco's natural hair color isn't blonde?" she asked. I growled.

"No, Harry married this- this _woman_!" I cried, throwing myself onto my bed. I then told Lana everything that happened.

"Have some chocolate," she said, stuffing the bar down my throat.

"I'm looking for a little bit more concern than just a bit of chocolate."

"You Slytherin prat. You know exactly why I gave you the chocolate," she said, rolling her eyes. I took a bite of the Honeyduke's chocolate, savoring the flavor. Something deep in my head clicked.

"Of course!" I shrieked, diving into my book bag. I took out Remus's journal and tapped the blank page. "Chocolate!" I said. I watched as the book grew warmer in my hands. I flipped to the next page:

…_if anyone would actually guess 'chocolate' as my answer? Other than Sirius. He's the one who said I should name it after what I liked the most. He was quite mollified when I said that I liked chocolate better than him. He recovered, as only Sirius could. "Well, what if I cover _myself_ in chocolate?" he asked me, eyebrow raised… _

I blushed as I finished reading the entry. Lana was looking over my shoulder, and judging by her red cheeks, she had read it too. "No offense or anything Anna, but how is this supposed to help you?" she asked me. I flipped through the pages and found the latest date. It ended shortly after the Ministry had convicted him of his 'crime'.

"Maybe he just wanted me to have a record of his entire life. No one else would've bothered to keep the journal, much less write something significant about him," I stated. Lana patted my hand and went back to her own bed.

"Don't stay up too late," she said in her most motherly tone. I laughed.

"How did you ever convince me to join Divination?" I asked Lana for the hundredth time as we trudged up the stairs.

"Do _you_ want to be stuck in Astronomy? Or Muggle Studies?" She asked me, pulling down the trap door to the classroom. I could still remember our first class with that batty old teacher of ours…

"_Welcome to Divination. It is an art that many cannot use to its fullest extent. A professional like me, though, can easily recognize if you have the Gift," Professor Trelawney crowed, "We will explore the mysteries of the past, present, and future throughout your next four years at Hogwarts." She walked around, stopping near me. "Child… you are in grave danger. I fear that you will die a most inopportune death. Now, onto our first lesson…"_

Lana laughed at the memory, sitting down at our table. The Professor had set up tea sets on our tables. "We will discern the future using tea leaves. Please use your books as reference, seeing as you are just beginners at the art."

"She's really full of herself, isn't she?" I asked, drinking down my tea. "I wonder what House she was in." We switched tea cups as I studied hers. "By the way, it looks like you're going to have amazingly good luck."

"I don't know how we're supposed to see anything in here," Lana muttered crossly.

"Let me see that!" Professor Trelawney shrieked, grabbing my cup. "Oh, poor _poor_ dear. You will suffer torture beyond imagination!" She ranted on the specifics of my death until the end of class. It seemed like I was going to be thrown into a pit of snakes, hung on a stake, and burned to death.

"Just what every Slytherin has to endure anyway, with Severus as Head of House," I told Lana. She chuckled.

"Look on the bright side. If you just keep on making predictions of your own death, then you'll pass the class."

I sat, reading Remus's journal.

_June 18, 1996_

_Bellatrix Lestrange YOU BITCH. I was reunited with him for _two_ years. The entire time I had thought that he betrayed James—but it was that rat, Wormtail! With the Order and everything going on, there wasn't any time left for just the two of us. And here she goes and _kills_ him! I can't show Harry how sad I am. He's torn up enough as it is. First Diggory, then the whole Voldemort incident, and now this! I'm surprised how he's dealing with all of this!_

I was crying as I read this. Behind the words was something deeper, more sentimental. Remus was very strong. But he was still human. I looked at the tear-stained bottom half of the page, a single sentence written in the middle; _Sirius, why did you leave me?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I was nearing the end of Remus's journal. And it was in here, in journal entries days before he was convicted, that I found out the real reason why he was killed.

_June 30, 2020_

_I went to the Ministry today, to see Arthur and Hermione of course. Arthur was having a grand time with all of his Muggle toys—it looks like he'll never outgrow his love for them. Hermione was visiting Kingsley for one reason or another, probably concerning her job for Muggle-born Rights. I just wished that something like that would exist for me. Anyway, the weirdest thing happened. I was walking out of the building when I caught sight of Draco. Surprised that he'd be there, I went up to him. The man wasn't Draco, though. In fact, he looked more like Lucius. My mind was playing tricks on me, I'm sure. My age is finally getting to me. _

_Well, even if it was all in my head, I should take precaution._

_July 1, 2020_

_Something isn't right. There are Ministry officials waiting outside the house. I never let slip Draco and Harry's positions. Were they here for me? I should write my will. Of course everything should go to Anna… _

_July 5, 2020_

_I've been convicted of killing Muggles. What a laugh! It doesn't help that the full moon was two and a half weeks ago. They're making me give them all of my possessions—and then giving me Veritaserum to question me if I gave them everything. They said—_

The journal ended here. Obviously, Remus had quickly spelled it back to his nonsense language before they took it away to analyze. If they had questioned Remus under Veritaserum, had he told them the spell to the journal? Or had Shacklebolt done me another favor? I wasn't sure, but judging from Laxery's annoyed expression at the journal (before he got disgusted again!), he couldn't crack the code. There was _one_ thing that stuck out like a sore thumb in my mind. _Lucius_. First, Remus sees someone like Lucius. Then, less than a week later, he gets convicted of murder. The two seemed to go hand in hand. Was Lucius at the Ministry? It seemed possible. But why hadn't Shacklebolt noticed? Or had anyone?

There was only one way to find out. But I could muse on that after my Care of Magical Creatures class. I walked out into grounds, shivering from the cold air. I joined the Gryffindors and other Slytherins who were waiting for Professor Pringle to start her class. "Today, I will introduce you to thestrals! Now follow me," she said, gesturing with her hands. We followed her to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. "And here they are," she said, pointing at nothing. She threw a gigantic, dead rooster in the air. We watched as something ripped the rooster to shreds. "Can anybody tell me what thestrals are?" the Professor asked the class. "Yes, Ms. Weasley?"

"They are horse-like creatures believed to be bad luck. They can only be seen by someone who has seen death. They pull the carriages to Hogwarts!" she answered.

"Good! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Professor Pringle said. Several Slytherins growled at the words. They weren't going to let the House Cup slip out of their hands. "So, can anyone here see them?" A single hand rose up. It was some Gryffindor student I've never seen before. He slowly straightened out his hand and pointed to me.

"She can," he said distastefully, "After all, she let Isabelle die, right?"

"Don't think like you can understand," Lana defended.

"I can't see them," I said suddenly.

"You saw her die!" the boy yelled.

"What I saw was worse than death."

"Anna, concentrate!" Severus yelled impatiently. He shook me after the boggart had retreated into the trunk. He looked me in the eyes and frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I can't think of something happy," I answered him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. I didn't answer. Severus pinned me down and looked in my eyes.

And I felt a sudden intrusion in my mind. I felt Severus rifling through my memories, and as quickly as he came in, he came back out. "You're thinking about last year," he stated. I didn't answer. "That wasn't you're fault. You weren't trained in producing a patronus before."

"I'm supposed to do great things," I told him, "Because of who I am." Severus stared at me. "When people find out who I am, they aren't going to see a powerful witch. They're going to see a coward. And they won't accept my parents." Severus looked at me, his eyes an unreadable expression. Perhaps surprise? or maybe it was understanding? Whatever it was, it compelled him to answer.

"Thestrals can break the barrier around Hogwarts."

"How the hell am I going to find a thestral?" I asked myself, quietly closing the castle doors behind me. I had my invisibility cloak wrapped tightly around me as I walked to the darkened hut. I picked up one of the dead roosters, wondering what someone would do if they saw it floating in midair. I walked into the Forest, took the invisibility cloak off and stuffed it into a pack, and started waving around the dead rooster. I should've gotten some Hufflepuff underclassman to do it for me. I could imagine myself now; walking up to a scared Hufflepuff and telling him or her that I needed them to do something for me. And then they'd start crying and pleading me to let them go. Being Slytherin was fun. I felt the rooster being taken from my hand by an invisible something. I reached out and touched the scaly thestral. It wasn't happy as I felt around its back. "What are you doing?" a voice asked me. I gulped down my scream and turned around. A centaur was menacingly close to me. I calmed myself down before I wet my pants.

"Trying to get out of Hogwarts," I answered truthfully. If a centaur could calmly talk to a human, then I could give it the same respect.

"Why?" it asked. Boy, was this centaur curious.

"To avenge my uncle," I answered, "Remus Lupin." The centaur processed that for a while before coming closer. He picked me up and placed me down on the invisible thestral. I looked at the centaur, whose eyes were twinkling.

"He's a werewolf," he said simply, "They are shunned by society as much as centaurs are."

"Then I'm going to make a difference. I promise," I told him. "Take me to the Ministry of Magic," I told the thestral. It snorted, but took off from the ground. Soon, the earth below me was passing at a fast rate. It was quite an experience to fly on what looked like nothing. And before I knew it, the Ministry was in view.

I threw the invisibility cloak back on as I entered the Ministry. Serving from instinct, I followed Remus's notes on how to get to the Department of Mysteries. I went through the door, finding myself in a circular room with many other doors off from it. I randomly opened one and found myself in an eerily green room. I rushed through it, a prickling feeling of danger running through my spine. I passed large tanks filled with brains, wondering sickly why the Ministry officials preserved brains like the Eqyptians preserved other body parts. I found another door to my right at the end of the room. I pushed it open, finding myself in a gigantic theater of sorts. In the middle of the room was a dark, billowing veil. I walked towards it, remembering it as the veil that Sirius was thrown into. "Good to see you came," Lucius Malfoy's voice wafted from behind me. I turned around. "An invisibility cloak won't help you now," he told me. I was rooted to the ground, trying to get away from his casting range. It was too late of course. He raised his wand and aimed it at my heart. "Die, you vile creature that stole my blood!" he shouted, casting a red light at me. It hit me full force. I toppled backwards, feeling the cool material of the veil suck me in, take my breath away. I swore I felt Death's hands pull me down before my world turned as black as the veil.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I was pulled from unconsciousness from something prodding my side. "A heavy sleeper, aren't you?" a voice asked me, giggled, and poked me again. I opened my eyes to find a girl with a gnarled wand sitting next to me. She fingered her lace dress and poked me again. "You're new here, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes wide and unblinking. She stood up and motioned for me to get up.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around. I was in a gigantic hallway with a multitude of doors. She giggled again, her voice echoing in the empty space.

"In the veil of course," she told me.

"And who are you?" I asked.

"Who do you think I am?" she asked me, smiling. She led me to a door with a name tag over it reading: _Anna Malfame_. "Your room," she explained.

"What?"

"So many questions!" she exclaimed, delighted. "Well, if you must know, the only way out is if you pass the tasks the room has set for you. If you can do that, you're free to go. And if you don't… Let's just say that it would make a Dementor's Kiss preferable." I shivered unconsciously as she pulled the door open and motioned me inside. There was a sole object in the room. I walked closer to it. The girl giggled, the curls in her hair bouncing with her laugh.

"It's broken," she told me.

"It looks like a time turner," I said, "But only half of one…"

"So it can only take you back in soul," she answered, "And the time has already been set." I touched it and felt a pull on my lungs as the world spun by me.

I was in the Great Hall, looking out at the students. I noticed an old man sitting in the middle of the Professors' table. I immediately recognized him as Albus Dumbledore. Headmistress—no Professor McGonagall was sitting to his right. It must have been the time period that my fathers had been at school. And sure enough, I recognized Draco's blonde hair from the Slytherin table. I smiled as I realized that he was sitting in the exact spot that I usually sat in. I looked over to the Gryffindor table, and my breath hitched. Harry was sitting by a red haired girl who had an enamored look on her face. I silently thanked whatever force kept that same face off of Harry. It was then that I noticed the girl from before standing by me. "What am I supposed to do?" I asked her.

"You can only communicate with one person. Whoever you choose. I don't care what you do, but you have a week in their time," she said, pointing at the students. I looked around again, thinking about what she said.

"Draco then. But tell me first… Does whatever I do really affect the past?" She giggled shrilly.

"Fate has written the past, is spelling out the present, and has determined the future," she told me, dematerializing, leaving her smile behind for a second like the Cheshire Cat.

I floated over to my father and touched his shoulder. He shivered and spun around at what I assumed was a cold feeling. "I've never seen you around before," he said, obviously relieved, "Are you a new ghost?"

"You could say that," I said, jumping to the seat next to him.

"Draco, what are you talking about?" Pansy asked, disentangling her arms from Blaise.

"A new ghost. Right here, to my right," he answered, pointing me out.

"What are you talking about?" Pansy asked.

"Maybe you're being haunted?" Blaise asked. Draco shook his head and turned back to me.

"So what do you want?" he asked me. I didn't answer, and he continued to eat his dinner.

"Who's that girl with red hair by Harry?" I asked, glancing at the Gryffindor table.

"You mean Ginny Weasley?" Draco asked, looking over at the table. I nodded. He frowned. "Potter's bound to notice how she obsesses over him. And then they'll start dating, and before you know it they'll be married."

"You're jealous!" I squealed, causing him to blush furiously.

"And why should you care?" he asked.

"Because I can't stand Harry marrying that git! It can only be you!" I said.

"You're a weird ghost," Draco said, "But if you can help me, go right ahead. Just wondering, though, what about the girl?"

"Who cares? Let her find someone else."

"You were from Slytherin, weren't you?" he praised. I smiled.

"So how do I woo Harry?" Draco asked me, copying down notes for his classes at the same time.

"Well, first you have to make a truce and get to be his friend. Then you've got to romance him."

"Romance him?" Draco asked, his eyebrows raised, but his face still directed at the parchment.

"Of course. He loves that stuff. You know; candy, poems, snuggling. What girls like. And find something both of you can talk about."

"Great. Then I'm going to initiate step one tomorrow," he said, putting down his quill.

"Step one? You're sounding really serious now."

"I _am_ serious. Step one: become friends."

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron asked spitefully as we approached the Gryffindor table the next morning.

"To talk to you. I believe our petty rivalry has lasted for long enough. I've come to forgive for the past, and to ask for your friendship," Draco said, extending his hand.

"And you won't take no for an answer, huh?" I asked behind him.

"Thank Merlin," Hermione breathed, "Yes, M-Draco, we accept. Or I do, on their behalf." The two Gryffindors turned to Hermione. Ron was furious, and Harry had an odd glint in his eyes. Hermione smiled to herself. "It's time to grow up," she said, "And to follow the Sorting Hat's words." I smiled and thanked Hermione, even though she couldn't hear me.

"Wasn't Snape's last assignment a pain in the arse?" Draco stated, sitting down at the table.

"Step one completed," Draco told me later, taking out his notes again, "And now onto the next step. Step two: romance the Gryffindor."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I smiled as I followed Draco and Harry out by the lake. With a flick of his wand, he transfigured various rocks into a blanket for them to sit on. "So what's up in Gryffindor?" Draco asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Oh," Harry said, surprised at Draco's concern, "Well, Ron just told me he has a thing for Hermione… And Neville and Luna are getting along pretty well. Isn't Pansy going out with Blaise?"

"Why do you ask?" Draco said, watching Harry's blush with approval.

"No reason," he squeaked out.

"I don't see much of W-Ginny," Draco managed politely.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened to her. She was always by my side… and now she hangs out with the Ravenclaws." I smiled. I had managed to convince Draco to get the Weaselette out of the picture. We wasted an entire day before I planned the whole thing. Draco had told Ginny that Harry would honor her "Friendship with other Houses" and that "He would love it if you helped Cho get over the whole Cedric fiasco". I assured Draco that Harry, in no way, was going to fall for her like that; in fact, he'd probably avoid her as much as possible.

"She's probably doing it to tease you. You know, hanging out with Cho Chang all the time, your ex?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Harry said, covering his face with his hands.

"You know, Harry, you shouldn't worry. There are plenty of fishes in the sea. And an amazingly handsome Slytherin by the lake, might I add," Draco said. Harry laughed, looking up at his friend. "I'm not kidding, Harry," Draco managed in a whisper.

Their lips met and I squealed aloud, causing Draco to laugh into the kiss. "You know, I never asked your name," Draco said to me. Harry looked at him blankly, looked over to where I was floating, and looked back at Draco. "To think that we'd been together for an entire week, too!"

"Draco, are you alright?"

"Yeah, Harry. But this ghost has been following me all week, giving me pointers on how to steal your heart."

"Sure, Draco," Harry said, smiling.

"It's Anna," I told him, the last minute of my time coming to a close, and whisking me away. I landed in front of the girl dressed up in lace, her mouth creaking up in a smile. "What was that for?" I asked her, getting up.

"Look at your hands," she told me, "Fate has given you one of her threads." And, indeed, a silver thread was dangling from my finger.

"What does it mean?" I asked her.

"That you had changed a thread back in time. Something you did there… has now affected the future." She motioned me out of my door. It disintegrated as we walked out, my task complete.

"You said that Fate… has already determined the future."

"Like she would let a human tamper with destiny. Let me assure you, child," she said, leading me through another hallway of doors, "That you merely provided the guidelines."

The silence that followed was broken, though, as I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a door with a plate that read: _Sirius Black_. I quickly pulled it open, finding a graying man sitting near a large pond of some sort, looking at various images that played across it. "What are you doing?!" the girl screamed at me as I ran up to Sirius, pulling him away from the pond. His eyes focused as he looked at me.

"Oh Merlin," I said, not feeling a pulse. He was half a man, half dead. But not quite. "Sirius, listen to me! Remus is waiting for! _Has _been waiting for you."

"Why, he's right here!" the man said in a husky voice, trying to pull himself back to the pond.

"No he's not, Sirius! _He died_!" I yelled into the man's ear.

"How do—" And Sirius looked at me for the first time, his mind connecting with mine. I didn't know that Sirius knew Legilimency, but I didn't mind as he saw everything he had missed, the most important being—

"He's gone without me!" Sirius wailed.

"He'll still wait for you. He loves you, you know. It's not too late. And you'll finally be reunited," I told him calmly. I hugged him closer to me as he cried and let go with his soul. The body in my arms slumped and I was suddenly forced to hold onto the dead weight.

"No one escapes Death," the girl seethed, talking through her teeth. "You'll pay for taking my expirement away from me. But I'm sure you can be a good substitute," she said, gripping my arm. Just as quickly as she touched it, though, she pulled away, her hand burning with blisters. She stared perplexedly at her hand, and I ran as quickly as I could with Sirius still in my arms, out of the veil.

----

I put the daffodils at Sirius's grave, sickly hoping that I would never have to wear black again. But I had to keep smiling, for the sake of my parents, and myself. We apparated to Severus's place, finding him already waiting for us. As he went out to get something or other, I took the chance to ask my dad something very important. "Daddy?" I asked, tugging at Harry's arm, "Have you ever loved anyone other than father?" The two men looked at each other, their eyes channeling unsaid messages, then turned back to me.

"What brought this up?" Harry asked. I flushed.

"It's just… Severus's worst memory—was you marrying Ginny Weasley!" The two broke out in amused laughter.

"I think I should show you what Severus really feared," Draco said with a small smile, "_Accio album_!" A photo album, obviously Severus's, floated over to me. I grabbed it, leafing through the pages, until I got to picture that was a replica of Snape's memory. I stared at the previous page:

_Join the joyous unification of_

_James Potter_

_and _

_Lily Evans_

"A wedding invitation… to my _grandparents' _wedding?" I asked incredulously, looking between my fathers. They smiled and nodded.

"Severus had… and still has, by Merlin, this infatuation with my mother," Harry said, "It's kind of disturbing."

"What's disturbing?" Severus asked, walking in.

"If you were my grandfather. I might've inherited your nose!" My fathers broke out in laguhter, and even Snape sported a good natured smile. "But anyway, I have another question for you. How'd you come up with my name?"

"You know, I can't really remember," Draco said. "I know someone back from Hogwarts named Anna help me win your father's heart. We named you after her, that I'm sure of." I smiled and sat back, sipping my tea. I had to go back to Hogwarts over the summer so I could be taught what I had missed. It turned out I had been in the veil for nearly three weeks. But I didn't care. The school was like a second home anyway.


End file.
